5 JANUARY 1940, page 32

Finance And Investment

" IT might have been worse " is, I think, the appropriate com- mentary on the investor's experience in 1939. In a year which brought the catastrophe of European war, security......

Equity Share Outlook

What of ordinary shares? Here one must make distinc- tions. If, as one must assume, our war effort is to be raised to its maximum this year, there is going to be a big diversion......

Home Rail Prospects

My advice to home railway stockholders to await events is proving right. Another wave of buying inspired by com- pensation hopes has given prices a fresh lift, with the result......

Martins Bank's Good Figures

Martins Bank shows some remarkably good figures. As ex- pected, the final dividend is maintained at the higher rate of 71 per cent. established by the raising of the interim......

Westminster Bank Results

First among the Big 'Five to announce its results for 1939, the Westminster Bank fulfils general expectations. Profits are moderately lower but dividend rates are being main-......